Editors’ Note

Becky Kimbro recently completed her first Nets season as Senior Vice President of Marketing, leading marketing across the Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets, and Brooklyn Basketball. Since joining Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, she has led marketing strategy across the platform, driving brand growth and fan engagement through integrated campaigns. Kimbro has an extensive background building and engaging fanbases across the NBA, MLB, and NFL, with previous leadership roles at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the Texas Rangers, and Dallas Cowboys. Before beginning her career in sports, Kimbro held various roles with an advertising and media strategy firm specializing in political consulting and corporate brand identity work.

Company Brief

Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (bkse.com) is a platform dedicated to creating bold, authentic, and unforgettable experiences that redefine sports, entertainment, and hospitality – The Brooklyn Way. Guided by purpose, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment creates best-in-class experiences for its fans, guests, and partners, and strives to make a positive impact in the communities it serves. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment is the parent company of Barclays Center, home to the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and WNBA champions New York Liberty and a venue for some of the world’s most iconic performers, events and family shows. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment also owns the Long Island Nets, the fully owned and operated NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets as well as Brooklyn Hospitality Group, BKMAG, Brooklyn Basketball and more.

Will you discuss your career journey?

My career has been centered around building brands, growing fan affinity, and creating meaningful connections between teams and their communities. I recently completed the NBA season with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment as Senior Vice President of Marketing, where I lead marketing across the Brooklyn Nets, Long Island Nets, and Brooklyn Basketball. My focus is on building differentiated brands, deepening fan engagement, and delivering integrated marketing campaigns that reflect our culture and values while supporting business objectives across the organization.

Prior to joining Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, I held leadership roles at Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Cowboys, where I helped drive fandom and business results across the NBA, MLB, and NFL. Throughout those experiences, I had the opportunity to lead marketing strategies that delighted fans, broke attendance records, and created memorable fan experiences both in-venue and beyond.

What has remained consistent throughout my career is a passion for understanding fans and finding innovative ways to connect them more deeply to the teams and brands they love. Whether through storytelling, strategic marketing, or community engagement, I’ve always been focused on creating experiences that bring people closer to the game and to one another.

What excited you about the opportunity to join Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, and made you feel it was the right fit?

What stood out to me immediately was the clarity of purpose. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment is not just in the business of sports and entertainment; we create unforgettable experiences and help build community in a way that reflects and serves the people of our borough. That aligned very closely with how I have always approached marketing and partnerships. We are guided by The Brooklyn Way, a mindset rooted in authenticity, creativity, and inclusivity, and you see that come to life across everything we do, including the hospitality approach we take at Barclays Center and beyond.

For me, it felt like an opportunity to think differently and more intentionally – to help build a global brand and portfolio that still feels deeply local, culturally relevant, and designed to meet the evolving expectations of consumers. Also working on brands that were deeply rooted in Brooklyn culture felt like a resonant opportunity.

Will you provide an overview of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s marketing strategy and programs?

Our marketing strategy is centered on building brand affinity and fostering connections with fans, while meeting them wherever they are in their journey. First and foremost, we are ultimately looking to drive generational fandom and grow our impact within Brooklyn. With this in mind, we have looked to scale our brands and storytelling with global audiences across digital and social channels. We show up in spaces natively where they already spend their time, with content that feels entertaining, accessible, and inspirational. That includes everything from short-form content capturing real-time moments and player personalities, to long-form storytelling that gives fans deeper access to our athletes and Brooklyn culture.

One of our biggest advantages is how we operate as a cohesive platform across our teams, arena, and hospitality businesses. We think about them as a connected ecosystem where each touchpoint reinforces the others and creates a more integrated, long-tail fan experience. That strategy is also grounded in live experiences. Whether it is through Brooklyn Basketball, our games, or events like Practice in the Park, we are creating real-world connections that complement what we are doing digitally.

Ultimately, everything we do is about turning moments into relationships and cultivating relationships that nurture lifelong fandom.

Will you highlight your efforts to grow brand affinity and fan engagement across the Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment portfolio of brands?

There are infinite ways to spend your free time today, so we are incredibly intentional about providing real access, unique stories, and a sense of connection that warrant people’s engagement and attention. We start by thinking about how basketball intersects with culture and then mine for stories and talent that resonates. Whether it is through collaborations with Brooklyn-based creators, or content that highlights the individuality of our players, we are creating touchpoints that feel organic to our fans. Our “From ___ to Brooklyn” series is a great example. It gives players a platform to share their personal journeys in a way that builds deep emotional connections. These are also stories that showcase the power of basketball on a global scale.

We are continuing to increase our focus on the venue experience at Barclays Center. Our goal is to provide a one-of-one experience when you attend one of our events. Our goal is to ensure every touchpoint you have with us feels seamless, memorable, and uniquely Brooklyn.

We believe in the power of youth basketball as a gateway to build community connections and give back to our borough in an area where we have meaningful expertise. For each of our basketball teams we curate a large-scale community event each season that enables us to meet the people on their home courts. Practice in the Park for the Nets and Brooklyn Dribble for the Liberty provide basketball and broader cultural experiences featuring local vendors, creators, and community partners. Similarly, Nets Unite is central to how we engage our fanbase. Through games like Noche Latina, HBCU Homecoming, and West Indian Carnival, we celebrate the diverse communities that make up Brooklyn. When you combine those real-world moments with storytelling that reaches global audiences, you can break through and build affinity.

How is Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment enhancing its social channels and digital platforms?

We see digital as the front door to our brands, especially for younger and global audiences. That means investing heavily in short-form content that captures real-time moments, player personality, and cultural trends, while continuing to build long-form storytelling that deepens connection and provides access to better understand our athletes and our brand. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and our owned channels all work together to drive discovery, engagement, and fandom. We have made a conscious effort to be good platform citizens and develop unique content solutions that best represent the trends and audience demographics of each channel.

What do you see as Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s responsibility to be engaged in the communities it serves?

It is foundational to who we are. Representing Brooklyn means showing up around and for Brooklyn consistently and with intention. Brooklyn is one of the most diverse geographies in the world, and we take seriously the responsibility to reflect and support that across everything we do. Brooklyn Basketball is a great example of that commitment. It is a joint initiative between the Nets and the Liberty designed to create access, inspire young athletes, and build long-term connections with the community. With the opening of the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center and our partnership with the New York City Department of Education, we are reaching over 40,000 students each year and providing access to the game along with opportunities to build confidence and life skills. Ultimately, success for us is measured in impact. If we are doing this the right way, we are strengthening our community while building our brands.